Suspending-clamp for use with carpet-sewing machines



(No Model.)

F. AMES.

SUSPENDING GLAMPPOR USE WITH GARPET SEWING MAGHINES.

N0. 472,779. Patented A'pl. 12, 1892.

IIIINIHMII UNITED. STATES PATENT OEEICE.

FRANKLIN AMES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SUSPENDlNG-CLAMP FOR USE WITH CARPET-SEWING MACHINES.

.SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,779, dated April 12, 1892.

Application tiled November l5, 1890. Serial No. 371,600. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN AMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Yin the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

have invented a certain new and useful Ilnprovement in Suspending-Clamps for Carpet- Sewing Machines, which is fully set forth in thefollowingspecification,referencebeinghad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure-l is a front elevation of my improved clamping apparatus. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan View of one of the clamps in operative position Vrelative to a carpet-sewing machine, the said view being partially in section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the upper portion of one member of the clamp. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the clamp on the line 4 4of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 isa plan view of the clamp with its arms partially broken away.

The object of myinvention is to produce a suspending-clamp which shall permit a carpet-sewing machine of the type embodied in Letters Patent No. 296,744, granted to Joseph Grisel, to travel the whole length ofthe widths of carpets, and thus form a complete seam which requires no subsequent hand-sewing for its finishing.

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain peculiar and novel features of construction and arrangement, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the said drawings, A A designate two posts or supports, between which the breadths or widths X of carpet are sustained and stretched or strained laterally. One of these posts carries at its upper end an eyebolt or pin a, with which isconnected a cord or similar flexible device a. Upon the opposite post A is journaled a windlass or drum B, the axle of which is provided with a crank-handle b, a rope or cord or similar flexible device each jaw .of the clamp is provided with an integral arm d, the said arms being bent so as to cross each other and pivotally connected at their juncture by a through bolt or pin. The upper ends of the jaws are also provided each with an ear Vor projection cl, extending backward some little distance from the jaw and dush at the upper edge with the upper end of the respective jaws, as seen in Figs. l and 3. The outer extremities of the arms d carry links E, which are pivoted at one end to the eX- tremities of the respective arms, and at their outer ends are connected together bya pivotpin e', as seen in Fig. 2. Afinger bar'or handle F is attachedto each of the links just inside of their joint connection and extends backward and outward in a position convenient for the attendant to grasp. A ring or loop Gis connected to the outer ends of the links at their point of junction. The pivotpinof the links may form the device for the attach ment of this loop. Thecords a and h are connected, respectively, to the loops on the respective clamps at the opposite ends of the carpet, as seen in Fig. l, thereby providing for stretching the carpet taut when the clamps are applied. A spiral spring H is arranged between the two arms d of the clamp-bars, being connected to each and serving to pull the outer ends of said arms toward each other, thereby closing together the jaws of the clamp, and so causing the notched faces of the jaws to engage with the carpet when applied thereto, as seen in Fig. 1. At the back edges of lthe clamp-jaws D D and near their lower ends are stops d2, one on each, and each stop extending inward horizontally across the edge of the opposite jaw, as seen in Fig. 5. The outer surfaces of the ears d at the upper ends of the jaws are provided with a thin covering d3, of copper or other comparatively soft metal,

which covering extends also across the end of IOO to be started along the carpet, which has been suspended and stretched in proper position. It will be understood that this machineis provided with a kind of saddle, which straddles the upper edge of the suspended carpet and is fed along by the operation ot the yfeed-wheels 1,', the machine being held by an attendant and driven by him by means of a crank-wheel t" and suitable gearing.

In operation the clamps are applied to opposite ends of the carpet, as seen in Fig. l,

and stretched by means of the windlass, and

it will be seen that as the loops are connected to the extremities of the links the strainon the cords will tend to draw the ends ot the j aw-bars together, thereby closingthe clamp upon the carpet tighter and tighter as` the strainvisincreased. Now in clamps heretofore used' the arms have been located at the extreme upper ends of the jaws,land the. latter have h ad no rear extensions. It is obvious then that thel machine cannot run out at the end of the carpet-lengths, sol as to sew clear out to the endas the front part of the saddle will come in contact with the clamp-arms before the needle, which is at the yback ot' the machine, is brought Vto the extremities of the carpet. Furthermore, if thisk obstructiondid not exist the sewing could not be completed, for there being no supporty to the saddle it would begin to drop and tilt themachine bcfore the sewing is finished. With my improvement, however, the armsof the jaws are located Well down, as seen in Fig. l, so that they are entirely below the saddle of the sewing-machine and will not interfere with the movement of the vlatter outward at` the extremity of the carpet. Atthe same time the rear projections or ears d furnish a continuation of the support for the saddle, as will be seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and, therefore,

y I provide for a continuation of the operative movement of the sewing-machine far enough beyond theextremity of the carpet to cornpletethe sewing ofthe edges of the latter together clear out to the extremity.

In feeding the machine out past the clamp the feed-wheels will of coursecome in oontact with the metal, as seen in Fig'. 2; but as the jaws are covered with a soft metal,as described, the feed-wheels will do their proper work and will not b e injured. Heretofore in sewing carpets with this type ,of4 `machineit has been'necessary to sew the ends of every seam by hand. Vith my improvement this difficulty is entirely obviated. The handles attached to the links furnish means for manipulating the clamp, for it will be seen when pressed together they will tend to force the arms d outward, like a toggle, thereby opening the arms and jaws against the operation of the spring, which closes them when left free, and the stops d? prevent the placing of the clamp too far forward on the carpet.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to use with the machine especially described in Patent No. 296,744, as it may be employed with any machine of this type,'and I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to all the details of construction andV arrangement herein described and shown.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A saddle-back sewing-machine adapted to travel along the edges of suspended carpet-lengths, in combination with the long upright clamping-jaws D D provided with arms d, arranged at a point considerably below the upper ends of said jaws and below the'line of travel of the sewing-machine saddle, and the stretching-ropes a b', whereby when the carpet is suspended the saddle of the sewingmachine may pass out beyond the point of attachment of said arms to the jaws, substantially as described. y

` 2. A saddle-back sewing-machine adapted to travel along the edges of suspended earpet-lengths, in combination with the clamping-jaws D D', provided with ears or projections d, tlushwith the upper ends thereof and extending backward Abeyond the carpet edges from the rear edges of the jaws themselves, handle-arms d, attached to the jaws below the said ears or projections, and stretching-ropes connected to saidl clamps beyond the ends of the carpet edges, whereby the saddle of the machine may pass out over said handles and upon the projecting ears to sew IOO the carpet edges tothe extreme end thereof,

substantially as described.

3. In a clamp for suspending carpetsl for sewing, the clamping-jaws D D', provided with cord-attaching arms d, arranged below the line of travel of the sewing-machine saddle, projections or ears d', on which said saddle may ride beyond the carpet edges, and stops d2 for the end edges of the carpetlengths, substantially as described.

4. A saddle-back sewing-machine I, adapted to travel along the edges ot' suspended carpet-lengths and provided with toothed feed- IIO 

